Ireland enters top 10 countries for road safety

MOTORISTS have been warned against complacency in their attitude to speeding and drink-driving after new figures show that Ireland has entered the top 10 best performing EU countries in terms of road safety for the first time.

A report on road fatalities across Europe in 2007 by the European Transport Safety Council revealed that Ireland is now ranked 9th out of 25 EU member states — up from 16th position in 2005.

The council’s study also identified Ireland as the second most improved country in terms of reducing road deaths over the past two years. Last year’s total of 338 deaths on Irish roads was the second-lowest figure in more than 40 years, and a drop of 8% on 2006 figures.